Curtain weight



March 1, 1966 L.. HOMONOFF CURTAIN WEIGHT Filed 001..

FIG!

INVENTOR.

H OMONOFF LOUIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,237,261 CURTAIN WEIGHT Louis Homonoff, 63 High Rock Terrace, Newton, Mass. Filed Oct. 7, 1963, Ser. N o. 314,402 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-150) The present invention relates in general to removable devices and more particularly concerns a novel removable drapery weight arranged to blend in with the drapery to which it is attached to enhance the esthetic appearance and keep the drapery tau-t while being easily removable prior to cleaning the drapery and easy to attach to the drapery, even when the drapery is in its normal hung position.

VPin-on drapery weights are well-known inthe drapery hanging art. However, many decorators have been unwilling to use pin-on weights because the appearance of the weight on the hem of the drapery detracted from the esthetic effects of the hung drapery. Accordingly, most decorators have chosen those weighted draperie-s containing lead weights hidden in the drapery hem. A serious disadvantage of these sewn-in weights is the necessity for removing the weights prior to cleaning the draperies. This rem-oval necessitates ripping the hem and resewing the hem around the lead weights after the cleaning is complete. -If the weights are not remo-ved from draperies when cleaned, the weights bend or curl and leave a marked impression of the fabric after the draperies are pressed.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide an easily removable dev-ice that is easy to attach to fabric and of pleasant appearance when attached to the fabric.

It is another object of this invention to provide a removable drapery weight in Iaccordance with the preceding object. n

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a removable decorative button in accordance with the first object.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a d-evice in accordance with the preceding object that is easy to pin on to a fabric while minimally interfering with the appearance of the fabric.

According to the invention, the button has means defining a lip. A resilient wire is formed with an larcuate pin portion whose projection on the plane of the button is preferably enclosed by the perimeter of the button. The resilient wire is also formed with an end portion residing inside the lip and an offset portion joining the end portion and pin portion while supporting the pin portion outside the button substantially in a plane offset from that defined by the end portion.

A removable drapery weight .according to the invention comprises a button having a closed front and an open .back with the lip being around the opening at the back. A metallic weight is inside the button, or the button may be otherwise weighted, such as with poured metal. A non-metallic cover in the button is adjacent to Iand on the back side of the metallic weight. Pin means coact with the button to keep the metallic weight and non-metallic cover in position while functioning as means for attaching the weight to a drapery with the closed front exposed and the non-metallic cover separating the metallic weight fro-m the drapery when the weight is attached thereto. The closed front may be colored in a decorator color to blend with the drapery fabric, may be covered with a matching fabric cover, or may otherwise bear a color that enhances the decorativeness of the drapery.

The pin means may be substantially as that described above with a sharp end of circular pointed wire or with 3,237,261 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 ICC the end of the pin portion tapering to a cutting edge that is substantially a straight line generally parallel to the plane defined by the end portion.

Numerous other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the ac-companying drawing, in which:

!FIG. 1 is an exploded View of a preferred embodiment of a drapery weight according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled weight of FIG. l attached to a lower corner of a frag- Irnenta-rily illustrated drapery.

With reference no-w to the drawing, and more particularly FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an exploded view of a drapery weight embodying the principles of the invention. A button 11 is formed with a closed front portion 12 and a lip 13 surrounding an opening in the back portion. A lead Weight 14 fits in the button 11 against the closed front portion 12. The lead weight may have a hollow center as shown, may be a solid circular slug, or may be poured into the button.l A non-metallic disc 15, which may be made of cardboard or paper, fits in -button 11 again-st lead weight 14 to protect the drapery fabric from contacting the lead. Pin means 16 coact with the button to keep the lead weight 14 and lthe cardboard cover 15 in position while functioning as means for attaching the assembled weight to a drape with the fabric cover 17 of the button 11 exposed and the non-metallic cover 15 separating the lead weight 14 from the drapery when .the weight is attached thereto as shown in F'IG. 2.

The pin means 16 comprises an end portion 21 arranged to reside Within lip 13, the specific example illustrated showin-g an arcuate lip 13 accommodating lan arcuate end portion 21, both arcuate end portions illustrated defining substantially circular arcs.

The pin means 16 also comprises a pin pontion 22, also shown as being of arcuate form with at least an arcuate portion that is generally parallel to the corresponding arcuate portion of end portion 21 and lip 13. An offset portion 23 joins end portion 21 and pin portion 22 while supporting the pin porti-on 22 outside the button 11 substantial-ly in a plane offset from that defined by end portion 21.

The end of pin portion 22 is shown formed with a tapered cutting edge 24 terminating in substantially a straight line 25 that is substanatially parallel to the planes defined by pin portion 22 and end portion 21. The end of pin portion 22 may be a sharp rounded point of wire.

The advantage of the illustra-ted end portion structural arrangement is that rotating the assembly about the axis of the butt-on with the tapered cutting edge 24 adjacent to a fabric causes that cutting edge to dig into the fabric and make an opening which receives the rest of pin portion 22. Pin portion 22 then resides beneath but generally parallel to the surface of the fabric. The pin means holds the button firmly in close contact with the fabric to effect la neat attachment of the button to the fabric in a manner which resists unintentional detachment yet facilitates easy intentional removal upon rotation of the button in a direction opposite to that which effected the original attachment.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a view of the novel drapery weight 11 -attached to the hem 26 of the fragmentarily illustrated drapery 27. The button 11 may be attached anywhere along the bottom hernline, at the sides as Well as at the seams. It is generally attached to the rear 28 of the hem 26, a place of attachment which may be especially desirable when an attractively colored button embellishes the esthetic effect of the drapery. The

button shown is attached to the fabric by rotating it clockwise and removed from the fabric by rota-ting it counterclockwise.

The invention may also be used to attach decorative buttons lto garments, permitting the wearer to select a wide variety of embellishing buttonsfor attachment 'to the sam-e garment at different times. Yet the structural arrangement of the pin means permits easy attachment and removal while preventing unintended d-etachment of the button from the garment. This arrangement also uses the garment itself to protect the wearer from possible painful contact with the sharp edge of the point portion. And the novel pin means itself may be used for attaching buttons of various types.

It is evident that those skilled in the art may now make numerous modifications of, departures from and uses of the specific embodiments described herein without de* parting from the inventive concepts. Consequently, the invention is to be construed a-s limited solely by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A removable drapery weight comprising,

a button having a closed front and an open back yformed with means dening a lip around the opening at the back,

a metallic weight inside said button,

a nonmetallic cover in said button between said metallic weight and said lip,

and pin means coa-eting with said button to keep said metallic weight and said nonmetallic cover in position while functioning as means for attaching said weight to a drapery with said closed front exposed, and said nonmetallic cover separating said metallic `weight from a drapery when said weight is attached thereto.

2. A removable drapery weight in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pin means comprises,

a resilient wire formed with a pin portion having a pointed end,

an end por-tion residing inside said lip,

and an offset portion joining said end portion and said pin portion while supporting said pin portion outside said button substantially in a plane oiset from that dened by said end portion. 5 3. A removable drapery weight in accordance with claim 2 wherein said pin portion is arcuate and generally parallel to a `corresponding arcuate portion of said lip.

`4. A removable drapery weight in accord-ance with claim 3 wherein the end of said pin portion is formed with a tapered cutting edge terminating in substantially a straight line that is substantially parallel to said planes.

5. A removable device comprising, a button having means delining an arcuate lip,

and a resilient wire formed with an arcuate pin portion having a pointed end, said pin portion being generally parallel to a corresponding arcuate portion of said lip,

said resilient wire also having Ian arcuate end portion residing inside and engaging said lip,

and said resilient wire further having an offset portion joining said end portion and said pin portion while supporting said pin portion outside said but- -ton substantially in a plane offset from that dened by lsaid end portion.

6. A removable device in accordance with claim S wherein said pointed end is formed with a tapered cutting edge terminating in substantially a straight line that is generally parallel to said planes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,579 8/1899 Adams et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 689,253 5/1930 France.

WILLIAM FELDMAN,Prmary Examiner. DoNLEY J. sToCKING, Examiner. 

1. A REMOVABLE DRAPERY WEIGHT COMPRISING, A BUTTON HAVING A CLOSED FRONT AND AN OPEN BACK FORMED WITH MEANS DEFINING A LIP AROUND THE OPENING AT THE BACK, A METALLIC WEIGHT INSIDE BUTTON, A NONMETALLIC COVER IN SAID BUTTON BETWEEN SAID METALLIC WEIGHT AND SAID LIP, AND PIN MEANS COACTING WITH SAID BOTTON TO KEEP SAID METALLIC WEIGHT AND SAID NONMETALLIC COVER IN POSITION WHILE FUNCTIONING AS MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID WEIGHT TO A DRAPERY WITH SAID CLOSED FRONT EXPOSED, AND SAID NONMETALLIC COVER SEPARATING SAID METALLIC WEIGHT FROM A DRAPERY WHEN SAID WEIGHT IS ATTACHED THERETO. 